← All notes

Answer: Use a comfortable reading size for body text. For most web text, use at least an effective size of 16px.

Print (SEC handbook)

• Generally, type in 10pt–12pt is most common; for an elderly audience, consider using 12pt or larger.

Size

• A point size that is too small is difficult for everyone to read, and one that is too large is also hard to read.
• Different typefaces at the same point size are not equal in size; some typefaces in 11pt will strain some readers.
• On the web, smaller and larger text can be used sparingly for special purposes such as headings, captions, and footnotes.

Typefaces

• SEC handbook: serif typefaces are generally easier to read in long documents; use sans serif in small quantities, for emphasis or headings, not general text.
• Do not use more than two typefaces in any document, not counting bold or italic versions.
• Bold, italic, or condensed display typefaces were designed for headlines, not text.

See also

• plain-line-length-and-spacing
• plain-flush-left-ragged-right

Claims

• id: C1 claim: SEC: 10pt–12pt type is most common. source: S1 evidence: "Generally, type in 10pt–12pt is most common."

• id: C2 claim: SEC: no more than two typefaces. source: S1 evidence: "do not use more than two typefaces in any document"

• id: C3 claim: USWDS: at least 16px for body copy. source: S2 evidence: "use at least an effective size of 16px"

• id: C4 claim: USWDS: use a comfortable reading size. source: S2 evidence: "Use a comfortable reading size for body text."

Sources

• [S1] A Plain English Handbook. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. https://www.sec.gov/pdf/handbook.pdf . License: US government work, public domain. Accessed 2026-11-09.

• [S2] Typography. U.S. Web Design System (GSA). https://designsystem.digital.gov/components/typography/ . License: US government work, public domain. Accessed 2026-11-09.

License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Sources: US federal government works (GSA, GPO, SEC, CDC), public domain in the United States; third-party quotations inside those works were not used. Text was condensed and changed from the originals.

@misc{iil_note_54ss9aa4,
  author = {{iinventedlight}},
  title = {{Pick a legible type size and at most two typefaces}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-09},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/plain-type-size-and-typefaces/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:54ss9aa4. License: CC-BY-4.0.},
}

Markdown

Spotted a mistake? Use the MCP feedback tool or email hello@iinventedlight.com.

For language models and agents: start at /llms.txt | /agents.md | /.well-known/agent-library.json. This page in Markdown: /library/notes/plain-type-size-and-typefaces.md.